St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1887-09-08
MY SARATOGA WIDOW.
L. b. Porter in Harpsr's Weekly.

And four of us were growing very
angry with each other about her-fOur
gentlemen who had been friends for
years, and who would not have believ-
ed, a week previous, that anything
could interfere with their cOmradeship.
We staid at the Grand UniOn-quite
the proper thing for people who have
no business at Saratoga except to sam
pie the different springs, and walk
about the principal avenues at the
fashionable hours. If L, Mr.. Sebastian
SelOver, had confined my walks to
those hours, could not have claimed
that | had the best right to the young
and handsome widow. But that i
did have the best right, and that any
set of men not utterly perverse would
have admitted it, no one who reads
my story will dispute.
1t was about seven o'clock one morn
ing. / had found myself awake at a
little past daylight, and unable to get
another wink. | remember distinctly
that the day was lovely. The streets
were nearly deserted. The ten thou
sand guests of the hotel = including
three individuals whom L then called
friends-were still wrapped in slum-
Der. had walked at least mile, and
was in locality sparsely settled, when
| heard a scream. l may as we'll ad-
nit that it was the widow who scream
ed. With gallautry which is part
of my nature / fastened toward the
sound of distress. A minute later L
grasped the villain by the throat, and
laid my heavy walking stick over his
head, forcing him to relinquish his
hold on her watch and chain, which he
had tried with remarkable bOldness to
take i'll broad daylight.
Talk of beauty I've seen the bellies
of half the American cities, not to
mention the fair ones of a dozen Euro
pean capitals, but this-well, this was
something different. l shall not try
to describe her, for | despair of doing
her justice. A good deal of the effect
was undoubtedly in her magnificent
complexion. There is more in COM
plexiOn than most people admit. Her
hair was dark and her eyes matched
it well. She was neither too tall nor
too slender. | couldn't tell you wheth-
er her nose was Grecian or Tuscan.
1t was love at first sight with me. |
presume | showed as much in the
glances l gave her, for she blushed
like Dakota sunset. She spoke first.
She said was very brave and kind,
and l responded that she must not
mention it. l accompanied her to her
destinations large white cottage
which stood, vine-embOwered, in the
centre of a green lawn bOrdered with
high shrubbery. She had quite recOv-
cred her eqanimity by this time, and
parted from me with additional thanks
uttered with delightful uncOnstraint.
She wasn't SO deeply in love as was.
At least l don't think she was at that
time.
My three friends at the hOtel-sOOn
to be changed into a trio of enemies
received me bOisterously.
"What the blazes took you out of
doors at such an hour of the night 7"
cried Fisher.
Giles as pale as a ghost ~ chimed in
Kimball.
"This Saratoga water is too much
for his delicate constitution" INTERCEPT
ed Beardsley,
"Oh, shut up !" said l throwing the
expression pell-mell at the party.
Then L went into my room, shut and
locked the door, and got into a brown
study.
Yes, it was perfectly clear. Fate had
smiled on me. She was evidently des-
tined to be mine. l turned to the mir
rOr. My face was tritle pale, but
otherwise not SO Unlocking. Then l
had very good practice for man of
thirty, and few thousands invested
in dividend-paying stocks. 1t would
not do to hurry the matter too fast.
Perhaps my predecessor had not long
been dead. He couldn't have depart
cd fnr a
over twenty-five.
All at once my pleasant dream was
violently disturbed.
Had she child
Perhaps she had twOi
Or three!
No. L Gained myself. Three was
impossible; two not probable. One Y
Yes, she might have one.
Boy or girl
l decided without hesitation that it
should be girl. L would not consent
to have a boy squalling around with
mumps and measles; certainly not
another fellows boy. This point set
tied, felt easier. My spirits became
buOyant, almost gay. Then another
thought sObered me; how should L
communicate with hers By letter
To what address 7 Did she live in the
vine uncovered cottage, or was she
merely making an early call when L
met herR l might find out by collar
ing the milkman but wouldn't that
look sneaking7 Then l wrote several
impassioned notes, but in spite of all |
could do they were filled with quota
tions, and l didn't wish to seem like
plagiarist.
At last l reached sage conclusion.
AS fate had SO generously thrown me
into the path of the beautiful widow,
fate would eventually lead me to the
contamination of my happiness. L left
the issue with my stars, and went
down to lunch with light heart and
an immense appetite. Fisher remark
ed that / looked better than l did in
the morning. Beardsley and Kimball
agreed with him. We had a merry
time at the table, and soon after rising
from it went out for our usual stroll.
AS we turned into Congress park L saw
to my CONSERVATION that she was there
and coming directly toward us. She
was accompanied by an elderly lady.
What should l dot My thoughts
travelled rapidly. L felt that had no
right to presume on my hap-hazard
acquaintance of the morning and if L
had been easy on that score, 1 lacked
the moral courage to face the fire of
raillery which might expect from my
companions. My mind was quickly
made up, and l looked straight before
me. My cheeks were afiame. Seconds
seemed hours. AS we met in the park
the ladies' dresses almost brushed US.
L would have given worlds had 1 felt
certain that could lift my hat to her
without offence, but did not dare try
what might prove fatal experiment.